transition to retirement

With a HESTA Transition to Retirement (TTR) Income Stream, you could start winding back at work while using some income from your super, and still grow your retirement savings — it could help minimise your tax too.

Apply for a TTR


a smooth road to retirement

A TTR income stream gives you options

 

Reduce your working hours

Want to cut back a bit on work? You could set up a transition to retirement (TTR) income stream to pay you some income from your super while you keep adding to your retirement savings. Depending on your personal situation, you could even end up with the same after-tax income as you enjoyed when working full time — with fewer work hours.

Boost super before you retire

A transition to retirement (TTR) income stream can help you boost your super balance for when you eventually retire. It lets you restructure the way you receive your income, so your take-home pay stays the same while boosting your retirement savings.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

You can work less without changing your income and lifestyle.



 

Your work income continues to boost your retirement savings.



 

Under 60? Income from your TTR account is taxed depending on the tax bracket of the income payments you receive, with a 15% tax offset available.



 

Over 60? Income from your TTR account is tax free!

 

 

 

not a HESTA member?

Join HESTA to start creating a better financial future and start working for real-world impact.

 

 

what you need to apply

 

To open a HESTA Transition to Retirement Income Stream account, you’ll need:

  • a minimum investment of $50,000 in your super account
  • to have reached preservation age (that’s the age you can access your super as an income), and
  • to understand your options if you or your partner currently receive any entitlements (or expect to in the future). Contact the Financial Information Service at Centrelink on 13 23 00.

 

Preservation age

Your preservation age is the age at which you can generally start accessing your super. The age varies according to your date of birth.

 

Date of birth Preservation age
Before 01/07/60 55
01/07/60 - 30/06/61 56
01/07/61 - 30/06/62 57
01/07/62 - 30/06/63 58
01/07/63 - 30/06/64 59
After 30/06/64 60

 

See How super works (pdf) for more details.

 

 

 

ready to apply?

Log in to your online account and start your application via the 'Income stream' tab. This tab will only appear if you've reached your preservation age.

 

how a TTR strategy works

 

1. Firstly, you'll need to set up a new HESTA Income Stream account using a TTR strategy alongside your super account.

 

2. You can then tip a bit more into your super from your current income through salary sacrifice contributions (you might already be doing this) which can help minimise tax.

 

3. Then, you can use your TTR to replace what you've added to your super so there’s little or no effect on your regular income.

 


 

 

 

 

need help deciding how a TTR can work for you?

 

We can help you understand your retirement income options, including maximising your super before you set up a TTR income stream and strategies to reduce your tax. You can book an appointment with a HESTA superannuation expert at a time that suits you. There’s no extra cost: it’s all part of being with HESTA.


Book a time

 

 

see how a HESTA TTR Income Stream has helped our members

Netty

After a long career in midwifery and nursing, Netty was able to start reducing her work hours but keep the level of income she was used to with a HESTA TTR Income Stream.

Read Netty's story 

Shirl

Crisis housing professional and HESTA member Shirl, 61, recently started a Transition to Retirement (TTR) Income Stream account. See how it’s helped her financial future.

Read Shirl's story 

prefer a paper application form?

Download the HESTA Income Stream Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) to read more details and to start your paper application.

 

frequently asked questions about TTR

 

That depends on what year you were born — find out when you'll reach your 'preservation age' (the age you can access your super as an income). Once you reach your preservation age, you can start taking money out of your super account. It's important to also consider when you'll be financially ready to retire. A HESTA superannuation expert can talk you through retirement options one-on-one or over the phone. If you're a HESTA member, choose a time to chat with one of our superannuation experts now or contact us.

Not a HESTA member but interested in becoming one? Find out what HESTA has to offer.

You need to have reached your 'preservation age' (the age you can access your super as income). And depending on your super fund, you may need to have a certain amount of money in your super account before you can set up a transition to retirement (TTR) income stream account. For HESTA members, that amount is $50,000.

It’s important to consider how a transition to retirement plan could impact any government payments or other benefits you're receiving now or may be eligible to receive in the future. That is, if you had income from a TTR income stream account coming in, would you lose the ability to receive any other benefits? Your age, super savings, and relevant benefits are important factors when weighing up if a TTR income stream is right for you, whether it’s right now or in the future.

If you’re still working and eligible to transition to retirement, you can set up a transition to retirement (TTR) income stream account.

When you set up a TTR income stream account, you’ll get an income from this account (which comes out of your super savings) as well as your salary while you’re working. Payments from your TTR income stream account are generally taxed less than your income and are completely tax-free once you're over 60.

You may be eligible to open a HESTA Income Stream account if you’ve:

  • reached your preservation age and fully retired, or
  • stopped working on or after age 60, or
  • reached age 65, or
  • become permanently incapacitated or terminally ill, or
  • been using a TTR income stream while continuing to work and are now ready to stop working.

There are 3 key benefits for setting up a TTR income stream:

  1. You can start winding down your working hours while earning some income from your superannuation (so your income and lifestyle may not need to change).
  2. Whether you want to keep working the same hours or wind down on the work front, you can continue to boost your retirement savings by making contributions to your super through salary sacrifice.
  3. There may also be tax benefits. Income you get from your TTR income stream account is completely tax-free once you're over 60, and if you're under 60 these payments are taxed at your marginal rate with an offset of 15% available. Plus, if you're adding retirement savings to your super (by making salary sacrifice contributions into your super from the income you're earning from working) this could reduce your tax bill.

If you're eligible to transition to retirement, once you open a HESTA TTR Income Stream account you can start receiving payments (from your super savings) to supplement the income you’ve used to make your salary sacrifice contributions.

There are a few important things to note if you’re considering opening a TTR income stream account:

  • You can’t make lump-sum withdrawals until you reach age 65 or meet another condition of release, and
  • You can’t receive more than 10% of your account balance in one financial year, unless your super has an unrestricted non-preserved component or until you satisfy a condition of release.

TTR strategies can be complicated, so we suggest you seek advice specific to your individual circumstances before deciding whether it’s right for you. If you're a HESTA member, choose a time to chat with one of our superannuation experts now or contact us.

Not a HESTA member but interested in potentially becoming one? Find out what HESTA has to offer.

 

 

 

what's next?

Planning your happy ever after

Read more about about planning your next chapter, including case studies about how other members have started transitioning.

Download now (pdf)

Stay on top of your TTR

Already have a TTR? Make sure it still suits your life right now.

Learn more

Get advice

Our advice service can help you decide if a TTR Income Stream is right for you. Provide us with a few details and a team member will call you to chat.

Make a time to talk

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